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The ChariTree Foundation That Has Inspired So Many Celebrates 10 Years

More than 100,000 children have planted Wish Trees across Canada and around the world

Vancouver, BC — 12/04/2016 –Without access to a healthy climate, children will be bereft of their fundamental rights to life. A perfect storm is brewing due to this happening at a time when the screen generation is being raised with less meaningful contact with nature.

Right now, the future stewards of the environment are growing in a world of change and distraction. As they play endless games on their screens, the world’s forests are disappearing, temperatures and sea levels are on the rise, and more extreme weather is in the forecast. Ten of millions of lives and the lives of generations to come are sure to be impacted as they are set-up to bear a disproportionate share of the burden of climate change.

The ChariTree Foundation was founded 10 years ago by Andrea Koehle Jones. She explained, “ChariTree grew out of my wish to help children and the world.”

There is so much uncertainty in the world, so instead of waiting around for leaders to agree on appropriate solutions, Koehle Jones was inspired to act to create a program to encourage kids to be part of the solution.

“Since 2009, thanks to ChariTree, thousands of campers in hundreds of camps across Canada have planted trees on their camp properties. This excellent program has enabled children to experience the joy and satisfaction of planting their very own tree while beautifying their site, creating windbreaks or replacing trees lost to fire or disease,” said Jill Dundas, President, the Canadian Camping Association (CCA). “As the trees grow under the campers’ continuing care so does their appreciation and concern for our environment.”

Koehle Jones thinks one of the best ways to teach environmental education is to give kids a tree of their own to plant. She said: “It’s about learning to care for something beyond yourself while learning about self-sufficiency, reforestation, trees as future food sources and so much more.”

When children receive a Wish Tree through their school, camp or other children’s organizations, they get to plant it and make a wish for the world. Every time they return to visit or care for their tree they can make more wishes – for anything! They can write their wishes on 100% recycled paper and tie them to their tree or simply say their wish by their tree.

Here are just a few wishes sent into The ChariTree Foundation by children.

Aidan, from Hamilton, Canada says:
“I wish I had super powers to save the earth and save people.”

Lisa, from Copenhagen, Denmark says:
“I wish more people would plant trees.”

Debbie, from Calgary, Canada says:
“My wish for the planet would be to bring more natural beauty to all the cities. I wish for our empty boulevards to be planted with evergreens, and remind us that with more nature that our world will be a much better place.”

Shannon, from West Bolton, Canada says:
“I wish everyone would deeply understand that trees are the lungs of the earth, and we all breathe together…”

“I am so proud of every child that has planted a tree in the last ten years,” said Koehle Jones. “These kids are going to be changemakers,” she continued.

“Helping a child plant a tree might seem like a small thing but imagine if all children were given an opportunity to plant a tree,” said Koehle Jones. “What if children in Syria or Somalia or Canada – anywhere were given this opportunity? The benefits would directly impact those children and children everywhere.”

The ChariTree Foundation strives to give as many children as possible a tree of their own. It’s about supporting environmental education programs for children by giving kids a tree to plant at their home, camp or school that is native to their region ~ and an opportunity to connect with nature and contribute positively to the world.

This year more than 13,000 campers at Canadian Camping Association camps planted trees across Canada thanks to ChariTree’s wonderful private and corporate donors especially our top done, Green Inspiration BC.

“There is something hopeful in the act of planting a tree. Our campers enjoy enhancing our habitats, increasing bio-diversity and just being in nature. Thanks for this wonderful opportunity. You are growing hope for a greener future.” ~ Jacob Rodenburg, Executive Director, Camp Kawartha

So far, more than 100,000 children have received trees, and Koehle Jones hopes to give millions of children trees in the future.

“Without healthy trees and forests, the earth cannot sustain life. There’s something so hopeful about planting trees,” said Jones. “I’ll never forget the children we planted trees with in Africa and I’ll never stop trying to bring more children trees.”

Andrea runs the charity from a tiny office on an island off the coast of Vancouver. She volunteers her time and works with a small group of volunteers devoting 100 percent of donations to running ChariTree’s children’s tree projects.

“I am so grateful to all the volunteers, and donors who have helped The ChariTree Foundation grow over the last ten years,” said Koehle Jones.

She hopes more and more people will hear about The ChariTree Foundation and will donate to support the project. “We plant trees based on the amount of funding we bring in through donations and requests for trees from children’s organizations.

To learn more about the ChariTree Foundation and to offer support, please visit www.charitree-foundation.org

About The ChariTree Foundation
The ChariTree foundation was set up by Andrea Koehle Jones. It has the aim to make the world a better place for children and generations of children to come.

“There’s something so hopeful about planting trees,” said Jones. “I’ll never forget the children we planted trees with in Africa and I’ll never stop trying to bring more children trees.” ~ Andrea Koehle Jones